Liu Tienan

Liu Tienan (; born October 1954) is a former Chinese politician and senior economic official. He served as the director of the National Energy Administration between 2011 and 2013, the deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) from 2008 to 2011, and deputy director of the Revitalizing Old Industrial Bases in Northeast China Special Working Group between 2006 and 2008.

In 2013, Liu was investigated and dismissed for corruption-related offenses. In December 2014, Liu was convicted on charges of bribery, and sentenced to life in prison. Several other politicians working with Liu at the NDRC, including Xu Yongsheng and Wei Pengyuan, were charged with corruption as well, with Wei being given the death penalty.

Biography Early life Liu was born in Beijing in October 1954, with his ancestral home in Qi County, Shanxi. Liu graduated from Beijing University of Science and Technology and Northeastern University.

Liu joined the Chinese Communist Party in June 1976.

In 1983, he worked as an officer in State Planning Commission until 1996.

Liu worked at the Chinese foreign mission to Japan as an economic liaison officer between 1996 and 1999. While he worked at the embassy, Liu met a woman surnamed "Xu", who was studying for her doctorate degree at the time and also working as an interpreter. Liu reportedly began a romantic relationship with Xu soon after. Xu subsequently migrated to Canada. While in Japan Liu earned an honorary degree at Nagoya City University, reportedly with Xu's help.

Alleged business interests in Canada The most serious allegation against Liu centers around his relationship with businessman Ni Ritao . In 2003, Liu met with Ni during the re-structuring of the latter's paper products company. Ni Ritao, a native of Wenzhou, was in the process of acquiring a large number of state-owned assets in the paper-making industry. As Liu's department had jurisdiction over the re-structuring process of Ni's company, the two developed a working relationship. Ni allegedly grew his businesses through building relationships with various state agency officials, including Liu. Many officials and their children reportedly became top shareholders or were listed as executives in Ni's business ventures.

Chinese media reported that Liu, along with the help of his wife Guo Jinghua , his son Liu Decheng , and his mistress Xu, worked together with Ni to set up several corporations in the Vancouver area in Canada.

Career in NDRC In 1999, Liu was appointed as the vice-chairman of State Development Planning Commission, an agency that oversaw regulations for some state-owned enterprises. The National Development and Reform Commission was founded in 2003 and took over some of the responsibilities of the Planning Commission, and Liu became a director of its Industry Department, as well as a senior official in the special working group on revitalizing the economy of Northeastern China. At year-end review meetings in 2005, Liu allegedly said that he would decline banquet invitations (frequently seen as venues to curry favours from officials) from anyone below the level of a provincial governor. Liu's superior Song Xiaowu said that Liu frequently conducted himself in a high-profile manner, often having police vehicles escort his entourage to ensure smooth flow of traffic on his trips to the provinces.

In December 2010, Liu was appointed as the chairman of National Energy Administration, a body under the NDRC that oversees energy affairs in China. In September 2011, Liu gained a seat on the powerful National Energy Commission, a supra-ministerial energy coordination body that was chaired by the premier. In November 2011, Caijing Magazine reported that Liu's wife and son held shares in overseas companies, but did not directly mention Liu by name. Liu's alleged haughty behavior alienated many officials in the department. Liu issued a vehement denial of the allegations, calling them "lies and slander", and vowed to take legal action. thus making him one of the first 'casualties' of the widespread campaign against corruption initiated under Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party. On May 14, 2013, Liu was dismissed from his position as vice-chairman of the NDRC. On August 8, Liu was expelled from the Chinese Communist Party.

Trial and sentencing Liu's trial began in September 2014 at the Langfang Intermediate People's Court in Langfang, Hebei, a municipality situated near Beijing. The trial, one of the highest profile since that of Chongqing party chief Bo Xilai, was a partially televised affair that drew national attention. The prosecution alleged that Liu received bribes and kickbacks for furthering the interests of numerous companies between 2002 and 2012. Liu was said to have accepted the equivalent of about 35.6 million yuan ($5.8 million) together with his son, Decheng, in return for favours to business people acquainted with him. The prosecution alleged that Liu received in bribes a Nissan Teana, renovations to his Muxidi apartment, as well as a suburban Beijing villa and a Porsche for his son.

On September 24, Liu issued a final statement to the court. In the statement, Liu said he intended to cooperate with the court and take "any punishment meted out by the law". He also said he had been taking sleeping pills, having been unable to rest due to the guilt over his having ruined his son's future. He issued apologies to his parents and his wife. He also said that he should be used as a "counter example" of what not to do as a high official. On December 10, Liu was convicted on bribery charges, and sentenced to life in prison. The state also confiscated all of his personal property.

Personal life Liu married Guo Jinghua , their son, Liu Decheng , was born in 1985. At the age of 18, Liu Decheng began to study in Canada.

In 1996, Liu met his future mistress, a woman surnamed Xu, in Japan; Xu subsequently emigrated to Canada, but their romantic relationship continued.